Post by robbidawn on Mar 13, 2010 14:59:38 GMT -8

Hey,

So it will be our first time coming to Sasquatch and I am just wondering what to expect in terms of line-up once we get there.

We bought a general camping pass, and I understand that camping starts Friday, but is there a specific time the grounds open? What time is a reasonable time to be there to ensure that we actually get a spot?

And generally about how long is the line-up to get into the camping?

This will hopefully help us plan our travels better so we can get there on time and don't get shafted.

Post by jobosrock on Mar 13, 2010 16:22:16 GMT -8

The Campground opens at about noon I believe. Last year we got there about 1 or 2ish I think and there was no line whatsoever. In the late afternoon and into the night the lineup looked huge however, but I don't know how long it actually took to get through it. Also, everyone gets a spot eventually, there is tonnes of room.

Post by know ID yuh on Mar 13, 2010 17:47:05 GMT -8

You use to get a closer spot to the entrance if you showed up early, but that's not really what happened last year. I don't know the reasoning behind which areas they filled up first, but the closest area to the entrance was filled up Saturday morning, so they were 10 minutes closer to the entrance than a lot of us Friday night campers.

I've never spent more than a couple minutes waiting in line to get from the road to the camping entrance, but once you get in, it can take 30 minutes to get to your camp location, but you're in the campground then, so there is a lot more to stare at other than the car in front of you.

You'll get a good camp spot showing up Friday, so it's just a matter of what you want to do that day. If you show up early, you'll have no wait, and have a day to kill. If you show up later, you'll have a longer line.

If you want a better night sleep, you might consider showing up right at noon. You could tell the first area they filled up last year because around 11pm, everyone there was passed out from drinking all day.

Post by casualjesus on Mar 13, 2010 18:11:50 GMT -8

I know a lot of people like the pros of being parked close to the entrance, but last year, our caravan of cars got to park at the back edge of the campground. While the walk to the venue was longer, the advantage of having nothing but a fence and a field on the back of our campsite was great. No worries about people right behind us, plus the guys could go pee in the field instead of waiting around for a portapotty.

Post by scough on Mar 14, 2010 3:45:20 GMT -8

You use to get a closer spot to the entrance if you showed up early, but that's not really what happened last year.

yeah. when i had general camping in 08 i got a better spot compared to those that showed up later. last year we had a premier spot, and they started filling it in at the side farthest from the amphitheater first. people that showed up late friday or early saturday got spots much closer to the gorge, and farther away from the nonstop noise of the general campground. i hear they also weren't as tightly packed in as those of us that showed up early.i think it would be worth calling/emailing them and asking how they plan on filling in the campgrounds this year, a lot of people around us last year were pretty angry that we showed up early and got worse spots.

Post by Pea on Mar 14, 2010 16:25:49 GMT -8

I emailed them a few weeks ago regarding last year's camping situation and they responded saying they have taken "considerable measures" to make sure all of the problems from last year won't happen again this time around. We'll see what that means...

Post by scough on Mar 18, 2010 9:22:49 GMT -8

i'd be real surprised if they fix much of anything. i wouldn't be happy unless they filled premier camping in closest to the gorge first like they should, and if they at least quadruple the amount of showers available.

Post by ryslice on Mar 18, 2010 11:28:30 GMT -8

Personally we arrived Friday around 7-8PM last year and waited in line for at least half an hour and then were promptly directed to a decent premier camping spot, which was not that far from the entrance. This year we're planning to get there for 1 or 2, and have plenty of time to set up, hang out and meet our neighbours. I also e-mailed the gorge about the pitiful excuse for "premier" camping they had last year. I haven't heard anything back, but that doesn't really surprise me. I'm really hoping for a better experience this year, although my friends would not stay in regular anyways. "It's too loud" they say. I say "drink more!"